A Perfect Game
by analine
Summary: [ONE SHOT] Golden Pair fluff, in celebration of Eiji's birthday! Oishi teaches Eiji to play Go and learns some interesting things about their relationship in the process. OishiEiji, shounenai


_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Prince of Tennis. _

_**A/N: **In celebration of Eiji's birthday, I decided to finally finish and post this fic! I actually wrote most of this a long, long time ago, and I'm happy to have finally felt inspired enough to finish it. It's first person, Oishi POV. I hope you enjoy it! Reviews are greatly appreciated. :)_

**A Perfect Game**

I'm not sure why, but Eiji has always been fascinated by the idea of secrets. In fact, when we first met, he refused to believe me when I told him that I really didn't have any. Maybe this is why he always insists on my telling him every single detail surrounding whatever strange keepsake of mine he manages to stumble across whenever I leave him alone in my room long enough. He's coaxed a number of stories from me this way, actually - not really secrets, but things that normally wouldn't occur to me as being interesting enough to share, but that I somehow find myself going on and on about when he asks, most of the time simply because I can tell that he's genuinely interested.

I have to admit too, that this particular quirk of Eiji's has grown on me, even if it may have unnerved me at first. I've gotten used to coming back into my room, after setting the table for dinner, or answering the downstairs phone, to find him sifting through my dresser drawers, or balancing precariously on a pile of boxes in my closet, inevitably trying to reach something on the top shelf, probably for no better reason than the fact that it's hard to get to. He's convinced himself that this is where he'll find my most valuable possessions, I think, even though it's not always true in my case. Though I'm sure that even if he did know this, he'd probably do it anyway.

Because though it may have started as just a strange thing he did because he was bored, over the years I think he's realized that it serves as a really good way to get to know things about me that I probably wouldn't tell him otherwise. And I'm sure he knows too that I don't mind in the least, and that if anything, I look forward to the unexpected stories I get to tell him because of this game he's created for us.

So it was no surprise that I was immediately excited the day he dug out my grandfather's old Go board from under my bed and seemed curious. I couldn't believe that he'd never played before either, or that I'd never thought to bring it up.

Before I could stop myself, I was imagining daily trips to my house after school, and games that stretched on into the night, thus requiring Eiji to sleep over more often, even on school nights. It was educational too. Sort of. This could be perfect, I was thinking. It was strange too, because until now, I couldn't remember the last time I had thought about the game at all.

My family is fairly traditional, and so learning Go was sort of a rite of passage for me growing up. I had even taken a year or two of lessons back in elementary school. My goal all along had been to play my grandfather in an even match, though he died before I was able to reach that level of skill, and since then I sort of lost interest in the game altogether. My focus turned to tennis, and things worked out fine, but… I hadn't realized how much I missed having someone to play against until Eiji reminded me.

It was more than that though, of course. Because the truth is, I always want to share everything I do with Eiji. It doesn't matter what it is; I want him to be a part of everything I enjoy, and so I was really glad to discover that there was something I had forgotten – something new that we could explore together.

There was no doubt in my mind either, that he would pick the game up quickly.

Because even though he's usually too busy joking around to admit it, Eiji is smart - smarter than me, probably, when he's being serious. And when it comes to visualizing patterns, and seeing things no one else can see, I know that he's unstoppable, and I could already imagine him using this to his advantage with this particular game. He'll probably end up playing a better game than me eventually, I was thinking, and I was excited.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Hoi, Oishi?" Blue eyes flicker at me behind long lashes as he blinks several times. He looks at me, determined, I can tell he's intent on starting our game. After playing almost every day for a week or so, Eiji has proved himself to be a fast learner, just as I predicted, and today he seems particularly eager.

"I'm ready. Let's go!" He says, a quick smile and a victory sign confirming his commitment, before he looks at me seriously again.

His serious look fades to expectation after a moment though, and I know he's waiting for my instructions, so I smile and start my usual review, glancing at my partner frequently and gauging his responses. He stares at me, earnestly, and I feel myself start to glow a little inside.

Because his serious look of concentration is always the same, and it never fails to capture my complete attention. Before a match, or when he's really engrossed in a story someone's telling, or a movie we're watching, or anything that he's turned his full attention to, his eyes seem to turn a deeper shade of blue and he nods vigorously, offering his support and his interest wordlessly, but with an intensity that no one else can ever rival.

He's looking at me like this now, and I can't help but smile. Because no matter how comfortable I may seem taking charge, or offering instruction, it's really Eiji being here that makes it possible for me.

He's always saying how I support him, and how he depends on me, that the whole team depends on me, but…I know that I would be nothing without his enthusiasm and vitality and encouragement. I've told him this before, and I know he just thinks I'm crazy - that things like accepting responsibility come naturally to me - but I wonder if maybe he's finally starting to realize how important his support really is.

Because right now, there's a certain confidence and deliberateness in his actions, even with something so small. I've stopped trying to figure out how it's possible, but… Eiji always seems to know exactly what I need, and he always manages to provide it, without hesitation.

I've thought all of these things before though, a million times over, to the point where I almost expect it. I expect him to be here, at the exact right time and place, always. Eiji is the constant that balances everything in my life, after all.

I turn my attention back to the matter at hand though, knowing what will happen if I appear lost in thought for too long. I finish my explanation, answering the questions he interjects eagerly. I wonder if he's anxious though. Eiji learns everything by doing, by feeling, and though he insists on these reviews, I'm sure he's itching to play.

I hand him a bowl filled with black stones, reminding him that the first game is a teaching game, like I do every time we play, and that he shouldn't worry about winning.

He frowns at this, as usual, and looks at me like I've just told him the most ridiculous lie, as if I'm trying to intentionally trick him into losing. Of course. Winning is always foremost in Eiji's mind. He's competitive almost to a fault when he's being serious, which has lead to some rather unpleasant arguments. And he lost a practice match today, I remind myself, so I know he's probably feeling a little more competitive than usual.

I glance at him, smiling nervously until he smiles back at me.

"Hai, hai, Oishi-_sensei_… I know, I know." And then he winks. And we begin.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

It's just a move here and there, but it's obvious that he's thinking ahead, and that he's reading my moves. It's probably not such a surprising development either. After all, I'm in no way a genius, and I do tend to follow the same familiar patterns when I play. We've been playing each other for a while now, so naturally, Eiji would begin to see through my game. It dawns on me that this is just like tennis, and I laugh a little inside at the fact that I'm only just now making this connection.

Then I realize that he's staring at me from across the board, his brow furrowed in concentration. I look back to his last move, and realize he's waiting for me to correct him.

"Ah, Eiji, if you move there, these stones will be in atari. You can save them by playing here though." I indicate the better move, and watch Eiji consider this seriously. I feel good for still being needed. And of course, I'm still smiling inside. Because I'm having fun. Because everything I do in Eiji's presence turns out to be a lot more fun than I imagined it would be beforehand.

Eiji nods after a long moment, considering my instruction, and then sighs. I immediately worry that he's bored, and try to think of a way to combat this, because I've learned that Eiji's boredom is something to be avoided at all costs. But then he surprises me again, smiling broadly.

"This is fun, Oishi." He looks at the board, and then at me again, nodding, and then frowning a little, though his eyes are shining. "Even though I'm losing, it's fun. You're a good teacher."

His next smile is so warm and open and inviting, and the way his lips curl upwards is so…cute, and even sexy, in a way, that even though I want to tell him how amazed I am that he can even tell that he's losing, because it's a actually a really close game, I don't say anything. Because right now I just want to kiss him. I lean across the board and hear his soft intake of breath before our lips meet, and am pleased that for once, I'm able to take him off guard.

Well, that's what I think for a second, but somehow before I know it, I'm lying on my back, and there's a squirming, warm, soft body on top of me. I have no idea how he cleared the board with out knocking any of the stones out of place, and I glance upwards at him, puzzled, and he winks, getting a slightly wicked look in his eyes.

I'm not sure if he's going to lick me, or kiss me, or something else entirely, so I brace myself, and close my eyes. After a second though, I feel the familiar press of his lips fitting perfectly over my mouth, and a slippery tongue running across my own. He sucks at my tongue playfully, and when he releases the pressure, I can't help but sigh, loudly. I'm a little embarrassed, because usually it takes more than a kiss before I make a noise like that, and Eiji knows this.

He pushes himself up on one arm, his body pressing against mine in some rather suggestive places, as he looks down at me, his hair falling forward. He cocks his head to the side and laughs the low, sexy laugh that I love the most because it means that Eiji is happy, that Eiji is turned on.

"Ne, Oishi…" he whispers, and dips his head towards mine, teasing me with a light flick of his tongue across my lips, the ends of his hair tickling my forehead and my eyelids, making the hair on my arms stand on end. I can feel his hot breath on my ear as he drawls (something I wonder if he's learned from Fuji), "You're making noise already… Are my kisses _that_ good today?"

I mumble something inaudible, because this is all I can manage right now, as his tongue traces slow, lazy patterns along my neck. So this is the kind of mood you're in, I'm thinking, as he gently nibbles my ear, pressing closer to me, and forcing another embarrassing moan past my lips. I know that I'm losing this game, and wonder absently when one game stopped and this particular one started. I'm not sure if it was me who started it, or the other way around…

It's familiar ground though, for both of us. Somewhere along the line we started this practice of teasing and trying to draw out embarrassing noises from each other, in our attempts to allay suspicions from parents or siblings in other rooms of our respective houses. It's a delicate matter though, because obviously taking the game too far would only bring embarrassment, and probably worse on both of us.

I'm sure that Eiji is feeling victorious already though, as I moan again, louder. He looks at me, shocked, and then smiles confidently.

I know something that he doesn't though.

While he was concentrating on our last game, I know he didn't notice the garage door open and close downstairs. I alone know that there is no one home, and this, I figure, lends me an important advantage. I try to decide how I should proceed.

I know that right now, it would not be hard to wrest control from Eiji. Attention to several pressure points, a calculated shifting of weight, and he's all mine… But it's just too much fun with him this way, I realize after a second, as I feel his hand sliding up underneath my shirt, deftly moving buttons through their slits with ease. Before I realize it, my chest is exposed. Eiji is feeling dangerous today, I'm thinking, as an involuntary shiver runs down my back. He's looking down at me, his eyes flashing with deviousness, and I can tell he's calculating, what I like most, what will drive me the most crazy, what will ensure him a win.

And it's funny, if it was anything else, tennis, or Go, or even some petty argument, anything else, I would never even dream of going easy on him, but somehow now… I _want_ to let him win. And it seems like even if he knew what I was up to, he probably wouldn't mind.

I let out a long, slow sigh of pleasure, feeling his fingers trace the muscles of my stomach, and I whimper when his hand creeps a little lower.

"Eiji, I give up. You win," I whisper, my mouth stretching up hungrily towards his.

He eyes me a little suspiciously, and I'm afraid he's figured it out, but then he smiles.

"So now we're even, right?" He asks seriously, and then pouts a little and I imagine he's remembering the neglected Go board, where I barely beat him in a close game. Silly Eiji. Perhaps we'll have to reduce your handicap next game, I'm thinking, among other things, as I become more and more aware of the warm body pressed so close against me.

I nod in answer to his question slowly though, through the dim haze that seems to have taken over my brain. He looks pleased and then kisses me, slowly at first, and then the kiss deepens, until we are both sort of lost in the moment, and until we both forget about keeping score, for the time being.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

_**Glossary: **_

_Hoi – Eiji-ism (meaning something like yes)_

_Hai – yes_

_Sensei – teacher_

_Atari – in Go, your stones are in atari if they have only one liberty, and are thus in danger of being taken by your opponent_

_Ne – hey_


End file.
